USING COMMUNICATION GAMES TO IMPROVE THE TEACHING OF ENGLISH SPEAKING FOR GRADE X STUDENTS OF SMA N 1 GAMPING IN THE ACADEMIC YEAR OF 2010/2011

This study is action research that aims to improve the teaching speaking practices as an effort to improve the students’ speaking skills through communication games of grade X at SMAN 1 Gamping in the academic year of 2010/2011. This study was an action research study consisting of two cycles and used qualitative and quantitative data. The researcher worked collaboratively with the English teacher, the collaborator, and the students. The subjects of this research were 35 students of X.B class of SMA N 1 Gamping in academic year of 2010/2011. The qualitative data were obtained by observing the teaching and learning process during the implementation of the actions and interviewing the students, the teacher and the collaborator about the implemented actions. The qualitative data were in the form of field notes, interview transcripts and open-ended questionnaires. Meanwhile, the quantitative data were in the form of the results of students’ speaking tests. The results of Cycle I showed that the implementation of a communication game and other accompanying actions (i.e. using classroom English, improving students’ self-confidence through small group activity, and giving feedback) were successful in improving students’ speaking skills and their involvement during teaching and learning process. However, the communication game which was implemented in small group activity was not successful enough because there were some students who were not actively engaged in this activity and the class became noisy. Therefore, the researcher improved that action by preparing the students to speak spontaneously. Meanwhile, it was shown in Cycle II that the implementation of various communication games (i.e. guessing and matching games) and other accompanying actions (i.e. using classroom English, implementing various communication games, preparing the students to speak spontaneously, giving rewards to motivate the students, establishing learning contract during the teaching learning process, and giving feedback) were successful in improving the students’ speaking skills and involvement in English teaching learning process. The findings were supported by the means of the students’ score in speaking tests which has improved from 65.03 and 65.47 in pre-test to 69.54 and 70.90 in the post test. In conclusion, the students’ speaking skills was influenced by the use of communication games in the teaching and learning English speaking process